5 interesting similarities between Minecraft’s overworld and the nether

Minecraft’s overworld and nether dimensions are commonly referred to as polar opposites. However, there is some overlap in terms of elements within these two realms.

Minecraft is a game with lots of fantasy themed aspects. There are so many unique Minecraft creatures, structures, and more, that many players have considered how these elements work together to create lore and history of the game.

The nether is a major contributor to the potential lore of Minecraft worlds. Many Minecraft players wonder why the dimension exists, what is the history of the nether fortresses, why do piglins guard bastion remnants, who created the abandoned nether portals… the list goes on.

Interestingly, despite having stark differences, the nether and the overworld are clearly related. There are a few things that can be found in both Minecraft dimensions which will be listed and examined below.

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Notable similarities between the overworld and the nether in Minecraft

5) Fossils

Image via Minecraft

Fossils are simple yet unique Minecraft structures that can be found both in the nether and the overworld. They are abundantly common in the soul sand valleys of the nether, but are incredibly rare in the overworld.

In fact, finding an overworld fossil is so rare that the majority of Minecraft players have never done so. Fossils can only be found underground and are usually enclosed in other blocks, plus they have a miniscule rate of generating within any given Minecraft world.

Weirdly though, fossils are one of the only structures that exist both in the overworld and the nether. Considering their extreme differences in generation rate in each realm, one can't help but wonder why fossils are so much more common in the nether than in the overworld.

4) Ruined Portals

Image via Minecraft

The only other structure that can be found in both the nether and the overworld is the ruined portal.

Given the fact that ruined portals are supposed to emulate nether portals used by ancient entities that have since been destroyed, it makes sense that they would exist in both realms. Naturally, anything that enters the nether will need to go through a portal to return back, and vice versa.

Ruined portals in the nether look virtually the same as they do in the overworld. They are both fairly common to run into while exploring these dimensions and offer helpful loot within their chests.

3) Gold Ore

Image via Minecraft

Gold is the only Minecraft material that can be mined in both the nether and the overworld. Gold ore in the overworld drops raw gold, while gold ore in the nether drops gold nuggets.

Players will need to collect more gold in the nether than they would need to in the overworld, but gold ores are more abundant in the nether and can be mined with a stone pickaxe rather than an iron one.

This levels the playing field in terms of mining for gold, regardless of dimension.

2) Skeletons

Image via Minecraft Forum

Skeletons are amongst the seven original Minecraft mobs. This means that they were in the game before the nether dimension even existed. Minecraft has come a long way since its release, of course, and so have the mobs.

The nether is meant to appear as a hell-like realm, and skeletons are generally considered spooky creatures, so it makes sense that the Minecraft developers chose to include skeletons in there as well. There are also variants of the mob called wither skeletons that roam the nether fortresses.

1) Endermen

Image via Reddit

In the overworld, endermen can spawn in any biome (though previously they were most common in deserts). In the nether, endermen spawn only in warped forest biomes.

What’s most interesting is that endermen are the only mobs that can be found in all three Minecraft dimensions. They are most commonly found in the end, which is fitting given their name.

This is one of the many wonders of Minecraft lore. Seemingly, endermen are named appropriately with the end dimension. And yet, they can be found all over other Minecraft worlds. Perhaps their teleportation abilities allow them to exist with no dimensional barrier.

Nevertheless, curious players may wonder why there are some Minecraft elements that can be found in multiple dimensions, while there are others that cannot.